In the medium term, the strategy is to add more customers & increase territory coverage for the existing chain range and in long term, to focus on certain key verticals like oil fields, steel plants, cement plants, construction equipment, agricultural equipment and coming out with specialized chain products to meet the demands of the above sectors.
C R Sriram, General Manager (Sales & Marketing), Renold Chain India Pvt Ltd shares his views with Sandeep Sharma about his company, core competencies, manufacturing base, products recommended, USP of Renold Conveyor chain and challenges before the cement sector. Edited Excerpts....
Tell us about your company, brand equity, product offerings and core competencies? Renold Chain India is a joint venture company between M/s Renold Plc, U.K and M/s L G Balakrishnan & Sons, Coimbatore. Renold is one of the World´s leading brand for Industrial Chains with 14 manufacturing locations around the World and Sales representation in 90 Countries Renold´s Core competency is Power Transmission products that include various types of Industrial Transmission & Conveyor Chains, Sprockets, Gear boxes and Couplings.
Could you share with us details about your manufacturing base, technology adopted and production capacity? Renold Chain India manufactures various type of Transmission and Conveyor Chains at the Works located at Karur in Tamil Nadu. The Capacity of the plant is 4200 Metric Tonnes per annum of finished Chains in various varieties
Which of your products do you recommend for the Cement and Power sector? Renold has one of the widest offering of products for Cement and Power sector and Renold´s Heavy duty chains finds application in Apron Feeder, Reclaimers, Bucket Elevators, Pan Conveyors, and Scraper Conveyors.
What´s the USP of your Renold Conveyor chain offerings? Renold Cement Chains have consistent overall tolerances which are ideal for conveying systems requiring precise alignments, maximum chain strength by using State of the Art Heat treatment process, Use of High specification of alloy steel to meet the demands of Cement industry, Improved fatigue life by maintaining precise fits and tolerances between the pins, bushes and plates. Renold SEALED JOINT (with lubricant sealed in) Bucket Elevator chains are specifically suited for Cement mills, as it helps to increase the Wear life of the Chain dramatically.
How was the CY2014 in terms of products launched, business generated, and growth achieved in both domestic and international markets? CY 2014 has been a successful year for Renold Chain India with addition of several OEMs in various sectors of Construction equipment, Agriculture, Textile, Packaging, and Material Handling. The growth rate in domestic OEM segment has been more than 30%. Renold Chain India had successfully launched a new product, Escalator Chains and is the 1st company in India to offer Chains for Escalators. This Chain is now being supplied to a top Escalator manufacturer in India
What´s your growth strategy for the medium and long term? In the medium term, the strategy is to add more customers & increase territory coverage for the existing chain range and in long term, to focus on certain Key verticals like Oil Fields, Steel plants, Cement plants, Construction equipment, Agricultural equipment and coming out with specialized chain products to meet the demands of the above sectors.
Who are your major clientele in the cement and power sector? Almost all major names in Cement like Ultratech Cements, Jaypee Cements, Chettinadu Cements, India Cements and Power OEM s like BHEL, ALSTOM are our clients
What are the challenges before the cement and power sector in India? In Cement sector, we understand that the production has remained subdued due to weak market demand and this is again linked to slow down in infrastructure and real estate construction. In Power sector, new plants are not coming up due to Coal linkage issues.
What needs to be done by the Government of India to boost economic growth? All infrastructure projects should be fast-tracked and executed within a clearly defined time lines. Necessary clearances and approvals should be provided within a specified deadline.